First SeaCraft
 

First post and first time SeaCraft owner.

Was looking to buy myself a boat for Christmas and never thought that I would say I was getting a SeaCraft. Them being what they are, hide to find, I was reserved to buying something else and maybe someday hopefully finding one. We'll as I was about to commit to another boat I combed Craigs List one last time and the third listing down read "23' SeaCraft Potter Hull". I have since forgotten all about the other boat and picked this beauty up. She's a bit rough, 31 years of neglect, but it's sound. The deck and transome are in fairly good shape and will likely forgo the first refurb assault.

The to do list is already a page and half long, and am looking forward to get going. Looking forward to any advice/ideas you guys have, from what I've already seen on the board you guys really know your stuff.

My immediate plans are to pull the console, rewire, and awlgrip. I'm also hoping to refinish the gunnel and sole before spring.

Here she is be kind..

http://i1210.photobucket.com/albums/...e/IMG_0424.jpg

Welcome!! Nice boat but we need more pics :)

wanted to get these sized down before posting more pics, dam iPhone with it's 8mp camera.

The Good!

http://i1210.photobucket.com/albums/...e/IMG_0432.jpg

http://i1210.photobucket.com/albums/...e/IMG_0434.jpg

http://i1210.photobucket.com/albums/...e/IMG_0430.jpg

The Bad!

http://i1210.photobucket.com/albums/...e/IMG_0429.jpg

http://i1210.photobucket.com/albums/...e/IMG_0420.jpg

The Ugly!

http://i1210.photobucket.com/albums/...e/IMG_0425.jpg

http://i1210.photobucket.com/albums/...e/IMG_0423.jpg

http://i1210.photobucket.com/albums/...e/IMG_0417.jpg

The boat is getting pulled today or tomorrow will have better pics then.

"The good, the bad and the ugly"????

It all looks like great potential to me, congrats!!

Oh yeah, how many friends do you need to move that hatch cover?? Looks quite "beefy" :) :)

Thanks DonV the potential is there I just need to do a little sanding.

Both hatch covers are pretty rough, and weigh a ton. Don't like to think why somebody thought it was a good idea to do what they did. But it is what it is and now I have to fix it. Was thinking of either molding new ones or grinding down the old. The real problem is beside the The Ugly is that they are don't sit in the deck evenly, sorta wobbly.

COngrats on the new money pit u picked up. After a little once over your gonna be a very happy skipper i'm sure

"Thanks DonV the potential is there I just need to do a little sanding"

Hate to break it to you......there is no such thing as "a little sanding"!!! :)

Congrats csurf! Nice Motor! Kind enough? :cool:
Looks like she's been run hard and put away wet but, hey, she's a thoroughbred. Good luck w/ the restoration.

The motor is a 1986 Yamaha and thankfully it's blown. I sorta of have a long standing history with out boards always being replaced. So since this one is blown I'm staying consistent. The nice thing is that I can get the power I want, thinking twins. But if I do that I would have to get to the transom sooner rather than later. I've only had the thing 5 days so the ideas are still all jumbled up.

Just get a single 200-250 Verado or E-Tec and you will be fine. I got a buddy with Suzukis and they seam real good as well

Only thinking twins because the off shore seen here on LI is 30-40 miles out. Single engine that far off shore is a real crap shoot. If I go single I'll most likely stay with yami since the boat is already rigged for it.

Twin 115's looks to be what u want then....

http://www.classicseacraft.com/commu...ad.php?t=23405

Ain't that the truth!

Just keep your eye on the prize and focus on the next two or three things you have to do to move closer to your goal and eventually you'll be there. You've got a diamond in the rough and she'll be worth as much effort as you want to giver her.
Dave

If you want to get rid of the blown motor . . . keep me in mind. I have little engine crane and would be happy to remove it and give you some cash ;)

Your controls and gauges will work with a F225/F250's and HPDI's. Just flip a dip switch on the back of the tach.

Could not agree more on the need for more than one power plant

If redundancy is your main reason for twins, consider a kicker instead, less $, less maintenance and less weight. Yamaha makes an 8 hh hi thrust that will actually push the boat into wind and chop.

I appreciate the offer and by all means I will take you up on it. Tilt and Trim is strong lower still good, engine only blew about a month ago. But I notice d you're in MA I'm on Long Island. Isn't that a bit of a trip for you?

Quit being a baby,that only gets us Fla West coast grouper guys to 60' of water where we start fishing, cake walk. Don't you guys have Sea Tow or something similar?? Your back at the dock and in bed before that kicker would get you halfway back.

250 single IMHO is the way to go - Etec preferred for dependability as I cruise around alot of sites and have not heard of one failure offshore, if you were in Alaska or Mexico I would sing a different tune but your in NY its not a 3rd world country - although some people in the south think so LOL

It doesn't look bad at all, ya it needs some stuff but in 3 good days it could be fishable - projects are neverending anyway.

new yamaha 300 lighter than everything else but etec, but way better and no oil , it will run 50 with a 300. Nice rig, enjoy the ride.

Yeah we have Sea Tow and Towboat USA but I don't know how they work it in the gulf but up here the insurance only covers 10 miles off shore. At least once a year you hear somebody getting hit with a 5k tow. Aside from the possible BIG tow bill, bobbing around in a CC for 2 hours in October waiting, even within 10 miles, for Sea Tow is not where I want to be.

Have a line on a 200hp SWS right now, decent price and seems to be a runner. My budget is pretty slim this year so new motor(s) are out. My plan is to run the boat a couple seasons or three, get to know the boat then start pulling it apart completely. I'm planning on fixing up the console, wiring, power and perhaps refinishing the gunnel by spring.

BTW cool username "eggsuckindog" love that song.

That boat will run great with that moter i have had that motor twice on a 23 with the motor on the notch transom, very quick out of the hole, fast @ 41 , good cruise @30 and get about 2 miles per gallon at cruise 4200. Just gotta buy that darn expensive oil. Enjoy.

Towing Coverage
 

Check out this link for unlimited towing coverage thru BoatUS. http://www.boatus.com/towing/services.asp I've never needed a tow, but have been a BoatUS member for years; definitely a first class outfit, with many other benefits besides the towing insurance!

Ditto what GodsReel said. My father had a 225 SWS on his 23 Sceptre for 7 seasons/1400 hours and was virtually bulletproof. It's got great midrange so the boat will perform the same either empty or fully loaded.

Update on the motor...

The guy I bought the boat from listed the boat with a blown 86 200 yami. It being blown when I looked at the boat and not part of the asking price I completely ignored it. After the boat was pulled I got to do a complete inspection of the boat and noticed that the motor was a 96 and not an 86. That sort of changed everything it was no longer a mooring but something I can work with. Made a couple of calls and found the Yamaha is still making NEW, not refurb, power heads. So I'm thinking of going with a new power head. Has anybody gone that route on a motor?